Real Estate Information

Professional Realty Associates

Blog

During this joyous time of the year where everything seems merry and bright, many people across the globe travel to see their beloved family members for the holidays. Here are some helpful tips on how to keep your home safe during the holidays from your local York, Pennsylvania real estate team, Professional Realty Associates.

1. Install a monitored security system.

The most practical and effective solution is to install your own personal home security system. By doing so, you are able to monitor your home from miles away. Depending on the security system, you can also receive notifications and updates through your phone if any suspicious activity takes place.

2. Communicate with a trusted family member or neighbor.

If you are going out of town for the holiday season, be sure to get in touch with a trusted family member or neighbor to frequently check-up on your home. Entrust this individual with a few chores, if willing, while you are away. Have them safeguard your mail, yard, and precious gifts you have received over the holidays. In order to follow local ordinances, you’ll also want to have the same individuals clear your sidewalks surrounding your home of any snow that may have accumulated over your time away. This will be beneficial as it will also deter burglars and any other unwanted trespassers.

3. Unplug your Christmas lights.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, December is the deadliest month for electrical fires. In order to ensure the safety of you, your family, neighbors, and your home be sure to inspect your Christmas lights for any frayed cords that may have developed over the last couple of months. For a complete guide on Christmas lights, read more here.

4. Purchase a freshly cut tree.

Try to buy a freshly cut pine tree - not only because they are more beautiful and green, but because they tend to hold more water, which will prevent ignition.

5. Check your smoke detectors.

Change the batteries in your smoke detectors annually to be prepared for any accidents that may occur. This will allow you to enjoy your travels worry-free!

6. Never connect more than one extension cord together.

This is a common mistake by many. By connecting multiple extension cords together you run the risk of causing a short power failure, which can lead to fires and meltdowns.

7. Watch what you post on social media.

Another tactic to prevent break-ins is to monitor the posts you put up on your personal social media pages. Stray away from posting anything that may indicate you will be traveling during the holiday season.

8. Be leery of door-to-door donation seekers.

Around the holidays it is not uncommon to receive unexpected knocks on your door from individuals who are asking for donations for different charitable causes. By all means, it is the giving season. However, be cautious as it could be a sham to acquire money from you or gather intel on when the best time would be to break into your home. Be wary, and do not give out any information or money without verifying their credentials.

As the song goes “There’s no place like home for the holidays”. If you’re a new homeowner, still in search of your dream home, or just looking to add a little extra pizazz, look no further! Here are some basic tips from Professional Realty Associates on how to decorate the exterior of your home for this holiday season:

Safety Tips:

Before we get started, it is wise to have proper equipment in order to protect the safety of both you and your home.

First, plug in your Christmas lights to make sure they work before hanging them. (Don’t pull a Clark Griswold.)

Use a stable ladder.

NEVER use nails or any other metallic objects to hang Christmas Lights. Instead, use insulated holders.

Stay clear of power lines.

Organization Tips:

To ensure a smooth and painless process, have a plan going into the project.

Account for the supplies you have.

Buy the supplies you need.

Have plenty of extension cords on hand.

Before assembling, take all of the lights out of the packaging and lay them out across the lawn for inspection.

Untangle any snags or knots in the chords.

Before making your decision as to how to decorate your home, it is important to ask yourself these questions first:

What theme am I going for?

Which style best suits me and my home?

What power bulb do I need?

Which can I afford?

Types of Christmas Lights:

LED (Light-emitting diode) Lights- An Ideal Real Estate Investment that will continue giving for years to come. A more expensive, but eco-friendlier option that comes in magnificent variations.

Incandescent Lights- A classic, less expensive style in comparison to LED lights. Not as much variation, but will certainly give your home the touch of Christmas it is missing!

Icicle Lights- Provides a snowy, magical, whimsical look that is a great addition to winter wonderland style themes.

Animated Lights- A great eye-catching and unique feature to add to your holiday display. You will certainly have one of the flashiest houses in the Neighborhood.

Net Lights- Series of lights woven together to promote light unity. Great for decorating bushes, shrubs, or other structures.

2017 Christmas Decorating Trends:

In order to solidify your dominance in this year’s Neighborhood contest, adding a few of these hot new Christmas light trends will almost guarantee that your house will take home the gold this year!

Spotlights & projections

Add timers and animations to light display

Lighted holiday spirit marquees (Illuminated phrases such as “Joy” or “Merry Christmas” that can be hung on a roof or siding)

Animated lawn ornaments

Music player

Pathways created with yard lights

By following these instructions, you will be able to instill a winter wonderland in your own front yard this year. If you’re still in search of that perfect place to call home, please contact Professional Realty Associates in York, PA for your real estate needs. Happy holidays to all, and to all a good night!

Are you planning on buying a home in York and have children in school? Well there’s great news. Greatschools.org rates schools across America and has rates the top schools in York, PA based on test scores, reviews, and other parameters. 13 schools in York rated 8 out of 10 and above on their rating scale! That means you’ll have a great selection of fine schools to send your young ones. You can see the full list of schools in York rated here.

Are thinking about buying a home in York? If so, now is the time to prepare. Sure there’s a lot of things to consider. But if you keep these few tips in mind, it can help your buying process go smoother and help you buy the home that’s right for you.

Don’t Make Big Purchases

At least 3 – 6 months before you buy a home, it’s not a good idea to make big purchase or move your money around. This could affect your credit profile. Lenders want to see that your spending habits are stable and want to see a paper trail to get you’re the best loan possible.

Get Pre-Approved

Do you know the difference between being pre-qualified and pre-approved? It’s easy to get pre-qualified. But pre-approved means that the lender has reviewed all of your financial information and can inform you on how much you can afford. This is a huge help, as it saves you time in looking at houses you can’t afford. But it also helps you decide the best house you can afford.

Budget

Make sure to set a budget right away. And don’t just figure in the Home Financing payment. Owning a home incurs costs such as maintenance, utilities, renovation, etc. And don’t forget closing costs, as many people do. Some people are surprised by how much the closing costs are, so work with your agent to figure out how much that will be.

Our top featured listings are set in the perfect country backdrop in York and New Freedom. If you’re looking for a home that’s the ideal country getaway or farm home, then this is it! Take a look at all these fine Homes for sale in york pa have to offer.

2634 Mayfair Lane, York

Here’s a gorgeous historic home and that’s been completely restored and located in a much sought after area. You can see the love the owners put into it through the additions and modernization, while keep true to the home’s historic value. And the huge barn is ready for just about any use.

If you’re looking for the ideal farmhouse located on a large amount of land, then this is just the place. With 49 acres, you’ll have plenty of room for riding your horses. Enough land to also raise crops for your livestock, along with three building rights available.

Spring is coming up and home buyers in York are getting ready to buy. If you’re planning on putting your home on the market in York, then you need to start getting your home ready to sell. Here’s a few simple tips that you can follow to get more from the sale of your home and help it sell faster.

First Impressions are the Only Impressions

It doesn’t matter how good the inside of your home looks like if the outside doesn’t look good. Buyers always judge your home before they walk through the front door. Sometimes a buyer will just drive by if a home looks bad enough. So spruce up the yard, put on a fresh coat of paint, and pick up any debris or items around the yard that aren’t part of the landscape.

Be Ready to Show

Home buyers have a tight schedule. They’re usually trying to view several Homes for sale in york pa, sometimes in the same day. Be accommodating. In the end, if they can’t see your home, they simply won’t buy it. And keep it ready to show at all times, which means keep it clean. No dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher either.

The Kitchen Comes First

Home sellers don’t realize that it’s the kitchen that can really sell a home. If you can remodel your kitchen or at least have updated appliances, you will usually make that money back in the final sale. A dated kitchen can knock thousands of dollars off the asking price. Even if you buy just one high-end appliance, a buyer will think the rest of them are expensive as well.

There are certainly a lot of things that go into selling a home. But if you keep these tips in mind, you can get more in the end.

Are you planning on buying a home in York, or already live here? York has a lot of qualities that make it a great place to live. And the dining in York is certainly one of the things that attracts home owners and visitors alike. TripAdvisor.com has rated the top restaurants in York. Here’s a few from the top of the list you might want to try.

With an excellent bar menu and fair pricing for the quality, Left bank stands out as one of the best places to eat in York. With entres like Pan Seared Dayboat Scallops, Sesame Tuna & Tempura Maine Lobster Tail and Baked Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, you’re sure to have a meal to remember.

This gem in East York is a great place to go for a relaxing lunch or night out. They offer traditional style food set in a newly renovated building from the 1850’s, which was originally a house. An elegant bar reminiscent of the old days centers the dining room.

For the ideal great American diner experience Round the Clock is the place to eat in York. Open 27/7 for you knight owls or swing shift workers, they have all the comfort food you expect from a great diner.

Pilgrim Team at Professional Realty Associates in York, PA is very excited to be part of the 2013 Parade of Homes for sale in york pa in Lancaster, PA! We will be representing Lancaster Home Builders in the beautiful new home community of Stone Mill Estates in Manheim Township and hosting a brand new model called the Benson. This spacious home features an elegant first floor Master Suite, a spectacular 2-story family room and a gorgeous kitchen! It is one of 15 different plans being offered in this community. Follow the link below to see the entire floor plan and other amenities. The Parade of Homes will be open to visitors from Saturday, June 16 through Sunday, June 24. Tour hours will be 12-6PM on Saturdays and Sundays and 5-8PM weekdays. Join us as we celebrate the outstanding workmanship of one of the area’s best builders!

Looks like things are starting to stabilize here in York County after nearly four years of depreciation in the housing market locally. Looks like on average a 12% drop in prices have hit is this year. The silver lining in this cloud isthat prices have come down enough the the locally employed population can now afford to buy a home, especially with interest rates as low as 4%. For years as people from Maryland migrated here along with the higher wages they earned in Maryland they continued to push up the prices of Homes for sale in york pa. That trend has all but come to a halt. Maryland buyers use to make up nearly 80% of purchasers back in the pre-bubble days. It appears they are now around 12%.

Now is the time as a buyer to have a broad choice of Homes for sale in york pa to choose from at very reasonable prices and low Home Financing payments. Lenders are loaning out money with as little as no money down with a USDA mortgage, or 3.5% total down paymentfor a FHA mortgage with help coming form the home seller in the form of a cash contribution. There are plenty of programs out there to choose from.

Pilgrim Team of Professional Realty Associates and Lancaster Home Builders are proud to announce the opening of their newest community known as Ashcombe Farms South. Prices begin in the $170's. It is centrally located near shopping, parks, restuarants and schools. 17 floor plans are available and the builder will customize each plan to accomadate your individual needs. It is a small community consisting of 14 home sites with an average size of just under one-half acre. All utilities are underground as in the other Dover communities that we have built.

This is the fifth community The Pilgrim Team and Jerry Pilgrim has been involved in the area over the last 10 years. The other communities we have now completed were Cranbrook Acres, Ashcombe Farms, Ashcombe Farms West in Dover. Shiloh Farms is located in West Manchester Twp. We also have another community that has been quite successful in Dover Township called Fox Run Creek Estates where prices begin in the $160,s. Stop by our model Homes for sale in york pa located in Fox Run Creek Estates located off Cardinal Lane on Fountainhead Drive. We do have have a Sunday open house form 1-3pm. If you would like a private showing call or email us and we will be happy to accommodate you.